Kota Kinabalu East Malaysia Travel Guide

Kota Kinabalu is the capital city of Sabah East Malaysia. Located on the northern coastline at the foot hills of Mount Kinabalu. Sabah is refered to as Land Below the winds because of it is located below the typhoon belt which it is protected from making the weather in Sabah pleasant all year round.

Just off the coast of Kota Kinabalu are some beautiful tropical islands with excellent coral reefs for snorkeling or scuba diving to view the wide variety of marine life. Some of these islands include Gaya Island, Sapi Island, Sulug Island and Mamutik Island.

Rungus Tribe longhouses

Hiking up Mount Kinabalu

North Borneo Yacht

Sabah State Museum

From Kota Kinabalu there are severl places to go the Borneo Orangutan. The closest place from Kota Kinabalu is Rasa Ria or you can fly or catch a bus across to Sandakan to visit Sepilok which has the Orangutan Rehabilitation centre.

Golf in Kota Kinabalu

Sutera Harbor Golf and Country Club

Kudat Golf Club is an 18 hole championship golf course. It is the oldest golf club in Sabah. Green fees are RM200 per day (US$57). Has hotel accommodations. www.hotelssabah.com

Getting to Kota Kinabalu East Malaysia

The airport at Kota Kinabalu is located 10km from the centre of town. It takes around 20 minutes by taxi to get to the centre of Kota Kinabalu from the airport.

MASwing's is a small regional airline with direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Bintulu, Kuching, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Limbang, Miri, Mulu, Sandakan, Sibu and Tawau. www.maswings.com.my

Air Asia have direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Kuching, Labuan, Miri, Penang, Sandakan, Sibu and Tawau in Malaysia. They also have direct flights to Brunei, Shenzhen China, Jakarta Indonesia, Macau, Manila Philippines and Singapore. www.airasia.com

Tiger Airways is a budget airline which has direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Bangalor and Chennai in India and also to Singapore. www.tigerairways.com

Jetstar is a low cost airline that has direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Perth Australia as well as to Singapore. www.jetstar.com

Silk Air have direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore. Flight times from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore is around 2 hours 15 minutes. www.silkair.com

Cebu Pacific Air have direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Manila in the Philippines. Flight time is around 2 hours. www.cebupacificair.com

Brunei Air have direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei Darussalam. Flight time is around 40 minutes. www.bruneiair.com

Malaysia Airlines have flights from Kota Kinabalu to the major cities of Malaysia with connecting flights to all over the world. www.malaysiaairlines.com

Last updated 8th August 2009

Hotels in Kota Kinabalu East Malaysia

Following is a list of hotels in Kota Kinabalu including current 2009 room prices and contact details:

Hamin Lodge is a budget/backpacker hotel with hotel rooms and dormitory accommodation as well. Dorm prices from RM28 (US$8), private rooms from RM62 (US$18) www.haminlodge.com

Tune Hotel is a new modern quality budget hotel located within the 1Borneo Shopping Plaza. Room rates start from RM63+ taxes (US$18) www.tunehotels.com

Plaza Hotel Kota Kinabalu is located in the city centre of Kota Kinabalu. Room rates start from RM70 (US$20) www.plazahtl.com

Wah May Hotel a budget hotel located in the centre of Kota Kinabalu. Room prices start from RM75 (US$21) www.wahmayhotel.com

Asia City Hotel is a budget hotel within walking distance to the heart of Kota Kinabalu. Room prices start from RM80 (US$23) www.asiacityhotel.com

Tang Dynasty Park Hotel is a 190 room modern hotel suitable for business and leisure. Located in the heart of Kota Kinabalu close to the Sabah State Museum. Promotional room rates start from RM88 (US$25) www.hoteltangdynasty.com

Winner Hotel located in downtown Kota Kinabalu with free WiFi wireless internet access in public areas and broadband connections in all rooms. Promotional room rates from RM98 (US$28) www.winnerhotel.com

King Park Hotel a 3 star 14 story hotel in Kota Kinabalu. Room prices start at RM128 (US$37) kk.kingparkhotel.com.my

Kinabalu Daya Hotel is budget hotel in the heart of Kota Kinabalu. RM130 per night (US$37) www.kinabaluhotel.com

The Grand Borneo Hotel is a part of the 1Borneo Shopping Paradise plaza. Room prices start from RM173 (US$49) www.sabah-hotels.com

Kudat Golf and Marina Resort with 88 rooms and a 18 hole championship golf course. Room rates from RM158 nett (US$45) www.hotelssabah.com

Beverly Hotel is a modern 4 star hotel with a swimming pool on the roof. The hotel has free WiFi wireless internet available in the public areas of the hotel. Room prices start from RM (US$) www.vhhotels.com

The Palace Hotel is a recently renovated hotel located on a hill overlooking Kota Kinabalu. Room rates from RM185 per night (US$53) www.sabah-hotels.com

Imperial Boutec Hotel is a boutique hotel located within the Warisan Square shopping centre in the heart of Kota Kinabalu, a short walk from Warisan Square for a great selection of restaurants and shops. The hotel has free WiFi wireless internet in the lobby and courtyard. Internet room prices start from RM195 (US$56) www.imperialboutec.com

Novotel Hotel is a 263 room hotel, part of the 1Borneo Shopping Paradise complex in Kota Kinabalu. Room prices start from US$66 www.novotel.com

Promenade Hotel is a 4 star hotel in Kota Kinabalu with large swimming pool. Room rates start from www.promenade.com.my

Hyatt Regency Kinabalu a luxury 288 room high rise hotel in the heart of Kota Kinabalu. The hotel has a large outdoor swimming pool. All rooms have broadband internet access. The Hyatt Regency has a choice of Chinese or Japanese restaurant. Room prices start from RM256 per night (US$73) http://kinabalu.regency.hyatt.com

Le Meridien Hotel has 306 large hotel rooms. Room prices from RM290 per night (US$83) www.starwoodhotels.com

Shangri-la Rasa Ria Resort a luxury resort set on 400 acres of tropical gardens on Dalit beach. Right next door is the Dalit Bay Golf and Resort Spa with an 18 hole championship golf course. Room rates are from RM750 (US$214) www.shangri-la.com

Pacific Sutera Resort is a 500 room business hotel overlooking the marina at Kota Kinabalu. All rooms have broadband internet connections. The Pacific Sutera is located next door to the Sutera Harbor Golf and Country Club. Room rates start from RM1000 (US$285) www.suteraharbour.com

Magellan Sutera Resort a 5 star leisure resort hotel. Located next door to the Sutera Harbor Golf and Country Club. Room rates start from RM1200 per night (US$343) www.suteraharbour.com